


Catherine returns

by 4thofFive



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-10
Updated: 2015-01-10
Packaged: 2018-03-07 00:18:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3153701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4thofFive/pseuds/4thofFive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Catherine returns from Afghanistan ready to resume her relationship with Steve.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Catherine returns

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Simplyn2deep for suggesting the last scene. I'm not sure I did it justice but it was a great idea.

Steve slowly blinked open his eyes, stretched and sighed in contentment. It’s only when you suffer from insomnia and sleep broken by nightmares that you truly appreciate a good night’s sleep and last night he’d had a good night’s sleep.

The dark-haired man rolled over to see the reason for his good night’s sleep – and everything else that was good in his life. Danny was curled into a tight ball beside him, the bed sheet pulled up over his ear so that only the top half of his face and a hank of messy blond hair was visible in the morning light.

Steve couldn’t help but smile fondly. For all his frenetic energy and flailing arms when he was awake, Danny slept like the dead, barely moving and wrapped like a pupa waiting for its butterfly to emerge. Steve had known few people who enjoyed sleep more than Danny and waking him was always an iffy prospect – unless you knew how to do it right.

The SEAL shimmied closer to his boyfriend and gently tugged at the sheet to expose more of Danny’s face and neck then began to slowly pay homage to the other man’s skin with his lips and tongue.

“Grmph,” muttered Danny. Unconsciously turning his face up to give Steve better access.

“Morning Sleeping Beauty,” Steve whispered before taking a moment to suck on Danny’s left earlobe. “Time to rise and shine.”

Danny sighed heavily and rolled onto his back. He freed his arms from the sheet and wrapped them around Steve pulling the taller man down on top of his body.

“Rising isn’t a problem, thanks to you, but shining is too much to ask.”

Steve sprawled across Danny and began slowly thrusting against his boyfriend, his already hard cock finding the perfect amount of friction against Danny’s sleep pants. Steve liked to sleep in the nude but Danny – after 12 years of fatherhood – slept in worn cotton sleep pants. When they first started to share a bed, Steve tried to talk Danny out of the sleep pants he’d pull on after they’d have sex, but now he enjoyed unwrapping Danny like a Christmas gift every morning.

Steve slipped a hand between their two bodies and tugged the sleep pants down just far enough to expose Danny’s rapidly hardening cock. Shifting slightly, Steve took both of their cocks in his hand and began jacking them slowly in a grip just this side of not enough.

“Steve…” Danny breathed out as the SEAL began kissing over his jaw and neck.

“Hmmm?” Steve responded.

“Please,” Danny whispered as he captured Steve’s face between his hands and pulled him down for a kiss, shoving his tongue in his boyfriend’s mouth.

“Mmm” Steve replied nonsensically, tightening his grip on both of their cocks and beginning to speed the motion of his hand.

“Ohh…fuck…” Danny moaned as he pulled his mouth away from Steve’s for some much needed air.

“Tell me what you’re feeling, Danny,” Steve growled and he moved slowly down Danny’s body to suck the smaller man’s nipples between his lips. “I want to know.”

“Feeling…” Danny gasped as Steve clamped his mouth on one of his nipples. “On fire…want to…”

“What?” Steve pulled away from one nipple to attack the other. “Tell me.”

“Want to…shoot all over you…oh fuck, Steve!”

“I want that too, Danny. I want you to come. I want to see you come. I want you to give me everything you have. I want you to coat me in it.”

Danny couldn’t help but arch off the bed as Steve released his own cock and began concentrating solely on pumping Danny’s cock, this thumb swirling over the engorged head.

Steve pushed himself up on one elbow to gaze at Danny’s face. He loved nothing more than watching Danny reach his orgasm, feeling his lover break into little pieces by his hand.

“Oh…Steve…” Danny all but sobbed as his orgasm bore down on him like a runaway train.

“That’s it, Danny,” Steve ground out, his own cock leaking and aching with need. “Come for me Danny. I want to watch you. I want you to shoot all over me. Come now.”

For an instant Danny stiffened and then shouted out as he began to spurt rhythmically over Steve’s hand and his own abdomen. Steve felt the smaller man’s muscles contract under him and watched with awe as Danny squeezed his eyes tightly and his mouth opened wide as if gasping for air. After several seconds Danny slumped bonelessly into the mattress, letting out a little moan of joy.

Feeling like he was going to explode just from watching Danny, Steve used his come-covered hand to jerk his own cock, until he too was shooting over the sheets and Danny’s thighs, his grunts of pleasure the only sound filling the room.

Steve collapsed over Danny, his head on the blond man’s chest, as he struggled to slow his heart rate and get his breathing under control.

“Wow,” Danny sighed. “I can’t think of a better way to wake up.”

Steve smiled smugly.

“I aim to please.”

Danny snorted as he ran a hand up and down Steve’s sweaty back.

“As always, you succeed. I think you might just kill me, but unlike the other ways you try to end my life, this is a good way to go.”

Steve pulled himself up to rest with his elbows on either side of Danny’s shoulders, his face inches above his lover’s.

“I’m not going to kill you,” Steve replied with a lingering kiss on Danny’s lips. “It took me too long to find you.”

**********

Steve and Danny walked into the Five-0 offices with happy smiles on their faces. They’d only really been dating for two months but both would agree that it had been the best two months of either of their lives. Few people knew there were together – Grace, Chin and Kono, Lou and the Governor – but even those who weren’t in the know often remarked on how both men seemed happier, more contented lately.

Steve pulled open the main doors of their offices and ushered Danny into the bullpen. Both men came to a halt in shock as Catherine ran across the room and threw herself into Steve’s arms beginning to kiss him passionately on the lips.

Steve stood stunned for a moment before grabbing Cath on the biceps and pulling her away from him. 

“Cath? What are you doing here?”

The dark-haired woman smiled up at Steve, her hands tight on his hips.

“I’m home Steve. I know this is a surprise but I just had to see you. I couldn’t be away from you any longer.”

Steve licked his bottom lip nervously as he glanced over at Danny who was staring at his boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend in shock.

“Cath I…I thought you…we broke up,” Steve finished weakly.

Catherine stepped closer to Steve and wrapped her arms around his torso laying her head on his chest.

“I’m sorry, honey. I know I hurt you but I’m back now and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to you.”

Danny suddenly felt incredibly self-conscious and skirted around the two and into the bull pen. Kono and Chin’s sympathetic eyes followed him all the way.

Extricating himself from Catherine’s arms once more, Steve laid a gentle hand on the small of her back and guided her towards his office.

“Cath, umm, let’s talk in private ok?”

“It’s so good to see you looking so fit and healthy, Steve,” the young woman chatted happily as they walked. “I was worried about what kind of trouble you’d get into without me around but it looks like the team took care of you.”

Steve nodded distractedly as he guided her into his office and shut the door behind them. He gestured her over to the couch then sat down beside her.

“Cath, listen…”

Before Steve could finish his sentence, Cath scooted forward on the couch so she could be closer to Steve, one hand gripping his forearm. She looked up at him intently.

“Steve, I know you’re upset about my ending our relationship three months ago and I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing and that it was the best decision to let you go, but I’ve realized now that I made a mistake. I don’t want to lose you. I love you Steve and I want us to try again.”

Steve sighed heavily and laid one of his hands over Cath’s.

“Cath, I care deeply about you but things have changed and…”

“I know, Steve, I know. But don’t throw us away ok? We’ve been together a long time and I really think we can make a go of it if we try.”

Steve closed his eyes for a moment before opening them to look at his former lover. He wished he didn’t have to hurt her even as she had hurt him.

“Catherine. There is no us, there hasn’t been for a long time. I think we both know that. You did the right thing by breaking up with me. We weren’t going anywhere and you were the only one who had the guts to admit it.”

“Steve…”

“No. Look, I’m sorry you came back here with this false expectation but…honey, it isn’t going to happen.”

Catherine pressed her lips together and shook her head rapidly. Steve saw tears start to form at the edge of her eyes.

“I’m not giving up on us that easily. I know you’re angry about me asking you to move on, but now I’m asking you to give me another chance.

Catherine’s grip on Steve’s arm became almost painful as she leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder.

“I love you, Steve. Can’t you see that? We belong together.”

Steve took in a slow, deep breath and let it out.

“Cath there’s…there’s someone else.”

The dark-haired woman sat up with a jolt and stared at Steve in horror.

“Already? We broke up three months ago and you’ve already got someone else?”

Steve stood and walked a few paces away from her before turning to face her once again.

“It’s not a sudden thing. I’ve had feelings for this person for a long time. We just admitted our feelings a couple of months ago.”

Cath stared up at Steve, her expression a mixture of shock and outrage.

“Well it certainly didn’t take you long to replace me did it?”

Catherine stood up and wiped her hands down the front of her shirt as if removing something dirty.

“Cath…”

“Good old Steve McGarrett,” Catherine snorted in disgust. “He can have any woman he wants and then toss them aside like a cigarette butt.”

“That’s not fair!” Steve hissed. “You know god damned well that I’m not a player. I was faithful to you as soon as our relationship became serious and until you broke up with me. I became involved with this person after you broke it off. You told me to move on and I did, with someone I love and cherish.”

Cath stared up at Steve, her bottom lip quivering with barely contained emotion.

“Who is she? I take it she’s someone you’ve known for a long while. Do I know her?”

Steve blew out a breath and dropped his chin to his chest resting his hands lightly on his hips.

“It’s not a she,” he responded quietly.

Cath stared at him in shock for a moment.

“Not a she? What are you…?” Cath’s shoulder’s dropped and her eyes widened as realization washed over her. “It’s Danny, isn’t it?”

Steve raised his head and met her gaze full on.

“Yes. It’s Danny. I love him. I think I always have.”

Catherine ran both hands over her face then through her hair before dropping them back to her sides in frustration.

“Steve, you can’t be serious. Danny? I know you care about him and he’s a good friend but… Jesus!”

“What?” Steve barked. “What’s so horrible?”

Catherine looked at him as if he were insane and made a dismissive sound deep in her throat.

“Well for one thing, he’s a man. I mean I know the rules have changed but if you think your buddies in the Navy are going to embrace this whole heartedly then you’re a fool. Not to mention…I mean…Danny? He’s short, he’s loud, he’s….”

“Kind, loyal, funny, smart, sexy…shall I go on?” Steve spat back at her.

Catherine pressed her lips together and took several deep breaths through her nostrils. Steve watched as she visibly struggled to calm herself. Finally she looked up at him again and gave him a sad, almost pitying smile.

“Steve, I know you’ve been through a lot the last while and I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you but please, don’t jump head long into an ill-advised relationship just because you’re lonely.”

Steve stared at Catherine for a moment shaking his head in wonder.

“You really think that, don’t you? You really think that I fell into Danny’s arms because I was so distraught about losing you or about my run in with Wo Fat? You really think I’m so emotionally unstable that I’ll take the first port in the storm?”

Catherine shrugged slightly.

“I know Danny means a lot to you. It’s not surprising he would be the first one you would turn to.”

“I turned to him because I love him,” Steve growled.

“I know you do I just…I wonder if you understand what real, lasting love is.”

Steve tightened his jaw and glared at his former girlfriend.

“You need to leave now.”

Catherine sagged and gave Steve a pleading look.

“Steve, can’t we just…?”

“Now, Catherine. I’ll escort you out if I have to. Or get Kono to do it.”

Shaking her head sadly, Catherine turned and opened the heavy glass door of Steve’s office. She was almost through it when she turned back to look at him once more.

“If you change your mind or realize you’ve made a mistake, I’m staying in my old house.”

**********

Danny tapped on Steve’s door and slipped into the office watching his boyfriend pace the room in barely controlled rage.

“You ok?” Danny asked gently receiving a disgusted snort in reply.

“No, not really.”

“Did she take it badly?”

Steve turned and gave Danny a humourless smile.

“At first she did until I told her you and I were together. Then she suggested we would never work, that I was only with you because I was lonely and that when I came to my senses I should crawl back to her.”

Danny raised his eyebrows at that.

“Doesn’t have a lot of faith in us, huh?”

Steve ran his hands roughly over his face.

“I guess she figures you’re some kind of life preserver I’m only using to keep myself afloat emotionally.”

Danny stilled at those words then gave a nervous laugh.

“That’s…that’s stupid…Isn’t it?”

Steve looked over at Danny and saw the worried look on the blond man’s face. All the anger drained away and he hurried over to his boyfriend and wrapped the smaller man in his arms.

“Of course it is, D. I love you. I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. You don’t have to worry about that.”

Danny sagged against Steve. He knew Steve loved him but some part of him, the part Rachel tore out of his chest and then stomped on with a five inch stiletto heel, would always be a bit worried that this new life of his was too good to be true – that Steve’s love for him was too good to be true.

“I know babe I just…I know,” Danny responded more confidently. “I love you too.”

**********

Three days later Danny was toiling furiously over his paperwork when his cell phone rang. He snatched it up and pushed the answer call button without looking at the caller ID.

“Williams.”

“Danny? It’s Catherine.”

Danny sat upright in surprise. He’d assumed he would never see or speak to the dark-haired woman again.

“Hello, Cath.”

“Danny, I’d like to see you, to talk to you. Could you get away for a moment? I’m at the Starbucks near the palace.”

Danny blew out a weary breath. He really didn’t feel like getting into a scrap about Steve with his former girlfriend.

“Cath, I’m not sure what…”

“Please, Danny,” Catherine interrupted. “You owe me this.”

Danny snorted in derision.

“Really? I don’t see how I owe you anything.”

Catherine paused for a moment before she spoke again.

“Alright, maybe you don’t owe me anything but we used to be friends. Can’t that be reason enough?”

Danny sagged in his chair. If this would finally put a rest to Cath’s hopes about Steve he supposed he could man up and go and meet with her.

“Fine. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Danny disconnected the call without waiting for a reply. Steve was in a meeting with the Prosecuting Attorney so Danny sent him a quick text to tell him where he was going then stood up from behind his desk and grabbed his wallet.

Nine minutes later he pushed open the door of the busy coffee shop and spotted Cath at a table in the far corner. He walked past the order counter and went right to her table. She smiled up at him as he pulled out a chair and sat across from her.

“Would you like something? My treat.”

Danny gave her a polite smile.

“No, thanks. I have to go back to the office soon.”

Cath nodded and took a sip of her coffee.

“How are things with Five-0? Busy as ever I suppose?”

Danny shifted slightly in his chair. He’d always liked Cath but it seemed weird to be sitting in this coffee shop with her trying to pretend nothing had changed.

“Yeah, we’re busy.”

“It’s nice that Lou is on the team to help out.”

“He does a bit more than help out. He’s an excellent cop.”

Cath held her warm coffee cup between her hands and looked over at Danny frankly.

“Look, Danny, I think we should discuss this situation.”

Danny leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table clasping his hands in front of him.

“What situation is that Cath?”

“I know you think I’m just jealous and trying to win Steve back, but I’m very worried about him. I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“And you think I’m going to hurt him?”

“Not knowingly, no, but…Danny doesn’t it seem strange that after five years you’ve suddenly realized you love each other and now you’re together?”

Danny shrugged and sat back in his chair.

“No stranger than you and Steve being together for over 10 years and not acknowledging being boyfriend and girlfriend and not even being able to say I love you.”

Catherine gave Danny a cold smile.

“The difference is that we were apart for most of that time. We never knew when we’d see each other so we didn’t want to make promises we might not be able to keep. But you and Steve have been in close contact for all this time and have never admitted your feelings. It seems strange and I can’t help thinking…”

Cath paused dramatically and Danny knew it was his cue to demand she continued. He simply stared at her with raised eyebrows. Cath shrugged regretfully.

“Look, we both know how emotionally vulnerable Steve is. He’s suffered some terrible losses in his life and he’s desperate to have a family and some stability. He thought he had it with me until I stayed behind in Afghanistan…”

“Where you left him at the mercy of the Taliban,” Danny interjected harshly but Catherine carried on as if he hadn’t spoken.

“I know he was devastated by my decision and he was looking for someone, anyone, to cling to and you were there.”

“I’ve always been there for him.”

Cath nodded in agreement.

“You have. You’ve been a good friend to him and I’m grateful for it and I know he is too. But the truth is Danny, Steve has been so messed up emotionally that I don’t think he really knows what real love is.”

Danny shook his head in disbelief.

“I had no idea you held him in such high esteem,” he replied sarcastically.

Catherine leaned over the table and patted Danny’s hand like she would that of a child.

“Danny, you’ve heard stories about people who fall in love with the doctors who save their lives. It’s normal. Steve sees your kindness and loyalty and he’s grateful to you. He knows he can always count on you and he’s convinced himself those feelings are love.”

Danny snorted and lifted his arms away from the table and away from Cath’s grasp.

“That’s not what’s going on here, Catherine. Steve and I love each other. I think we have since the day we met. We’ve taken a while to get to this point but now that we’re here, we’re not letting go. I’m sorry you’ve been hurt but you broke up with Steve and he had a right to find someone else and that someone else is me. I suggest you learn to live with that fact.”

Cath shoulder’s sagged and she looked at Danny with an expression of compassionate pity.

“I’m your friend Danny, I’m just trying to warn you and protect both you and Steve from heartache. Through all the years and all of the missions, Steve has always come back to me because he knows I’m the right person for him. I can give him the love and stability he needs – not to mention children,”

“I can give him a child too.”

Cath nodded.

“Grace. Yes. She’s a lovely girl but she’s not Steve’s daughter, Danny. I know he loves her but she’ll never really be his and we both know it.”

“If we want more children we could get a surrogate or…”

Cath waved one hand dismissively.

“I’m not just talking about children, Danny. I’m talking about love and stability and providing a sense of calm and peacefulness in his life. That’s what he needs and I’m sorry, you can’t give that to him.”

Danny tucked his hands under his thighs in an effort not to ball them into fists. He took several deep breaths ready to argue further when the coffee shop suddenly grew quiet. Danny turned and glanced around at the unexpected silence to see an angry Steve marching toward them, a look of determination and possessiveness on his face that sent a small thrill up Danny’s spine. Steve’s look of almost deadly intent, not to mention the gun strapped to his hip, had everyone in the coffee shop regarding him warily.

Danny noticed Steve’s glare was aimed fully at Catherine so he stood and put a hand out towards his boyfriend to defuse any potential situation.

“Steve…”

Steve took Danny’s hand and held it, almost distractedly, but kept his glare firmly fixed on Catherine.

“What are you up to, Cath?” Steve demanded in a low growl. “Why are you meeting with Danny?”

Catherine gave Steve an innocent smile and took another sip of her coffee before answering. 

“Danny and I are old friends. Can’t we meet and talk?”

Steve turned his focused gaze on Danny, unaware he was still clutching his boyfriend’s hand.

“What’s she been saying to you, Danny?”

Danny used his free hand to pat Steve on the chest.

“Nothing I can’t handle, babe. It’s fine.”

As the other patrons in the coffee shop resumed their own conversations, Steve pulled out a free chair to sit down at the table pulling Danny down to the seat beside him. He finally let go of Danny’s hand so he could place his own flat on the tabletop. He fixed Cath with a no nonsense glare.

“Catherine, I’m going to say this slowly and clearly so there can be no mistake. I love Danny, I’m going to make my future with him. He and Grace are all I want. I don’t know what you’ve been saying to him but given what you said to me, I can only assume you’re trying to make him doubt me.”

Catherine reached across the table for Steve’s hand then thought better of it. She pulled back and folded her hands on her lap instead.

“Steve, I’m sorry but I find it hard to believe you can just turn off your feelings for me in the space of three short months. You’re not thinking clearly and I’m trying to keep you from getting hurt.”

Steve sat back slightly in his chair and gazed at Catherine for a long moment as if weighing up what he would say next. Danny watched him nervously.

“Cath…I did love you once. You’ve always been a good friend and I’ve always cared deeply about you. When you moved to Hawaii full time I was determined to make our relationship work – to move it to the next level because I thought that was the right thing to do, that I owed you that. But the truth is I couldn’t. Not because I didn’t care about you but because we’re not right for each other and I started to realize that long before we left for Afghanistan.”

Danny watched sadly as the colour drained out of Catherine’s face and she blinked rapidly.

“How can you say that? It’s not true. I did everything for you. I dedicated myself to making you happy.”

Steve nodded his head regretfully.

“I know you did and that’s part of the problem. My happiness and contentment became more important than your own. You’re a smart, capable, beautiful woman and you molded yourself into what you thought would be the perfect girlfriend for me. You subverted your own wants and desires to mine. Christ, you even asked me if you could take that job with Billy instead of just going for it. Does that sound like a healthy, balanced relationship?”

“I knew it would make you uncomfortable if I worked with Billy,” she replied defensively.

“And maybe it would but that was my issue to deal with, not yours. Cath, I was not a very good boyfriend but you stuck around taking whatever scraps I threw your way. Once you were gone, once I realized how I’d behaved with you, I was mortified and I couldn’t understand why you put up with it. Why you sold yourself so short. You should have told me to fuck off a long time ago but instead you stuck around waiting for me to spend time with you.”

Catherine flushed with rage and sat bolt upright in her chair.

“So what are you saying, Steve? It’s my fault that you were a lousy boyfriend?”

Steve closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head slowly.

“No. I’m saying you deserve a better relationship than what we had. You deserve someone who will love you and appreciate you for who you are; who will work harder to be the kind of man you deserve. Who will want to be with you because he adores you not because it’s easy.”

Steve sighed and glanced over at Danny for a moment before turning his attention back to Catherine.

“That’s why I know what I have with Danny is special. He makes me want to be a better man. He doesn’t change himself to suit me and he doesn’t put up with my shit.”

Steve felt Danny’s hand grip his thigh and he looked back at his boyfriend.

“Don’t sell yourself short, babe. You’re an amazing person and I’m lucky to have you,” Danny whispered with a shaky smile.

Catherine felt her stomach twist at the obvious love shared between the two men. She felt her throat tighten and had to swallow convulsively as she blinked back tears. Steve regarded her firmly.

“Cath, you and I are not right for each other we were just…comfortable. We’d been going down this relationship road so long that it got easy. Neither of us bothered to end it because neither of us wanted to be alone. But if we’d ended up married we wouldn’t have been happy, I know we wouldn’t. Staying behind in Afghanistan and breaking up with me was the smartest thing you ever did. You’ve given both of us the chance of happiness in a new life with people more suited to us.”

“But I…” Cath choked on her words and had to swallow convulsively a few times. “I love you.”

Steve sighed and reached across the table holding his hand out expectantly until she took hold of it.

“I love you too. You’re an amazing friend and I hope I will always have you in my life. But Danny is the one I want to make my future with.”

Steve gave Cath’s hand a squeeze then released it and stood up from his chair. After a brief pause Danny stood up as well. Steve looked down at his former girlfriend sadly.

“Good bye, Cath. Please take care of yourself.”

**********

Danny had to jog to keep up with Steve who strode down the sidewalk like a missile bearing down on its target. Danny could almost imagine a black cloud hovering over his boyfriend’s head.

“Hey, Steve, babe,” Danny grabbed Steve’s arm at the elbow and tugged at it. “Slow down a bit ok? If I’m going to go out for a run I’d like to be wearing shorts and track shoes.”

Steve slowed his progress allowing Danny to walk beside him in easy strides. The two men stayed quiet for a moment before Danny couldn’t take the vacuum of silence.

“Look, I know you’re upset but…”

Steve stopped and swiveled to face Danny, his face flushed with anger.

“Upset? Why should I be upset? My former girlfriend, a woman who, by the way, dumped me three months ago, gets together with my boyfriend and tries her best to break us up. I just can’t believe Cath would do something like that. She’s not the bitter or vindictive type, why would she do something so shitty?”

Danny sighed and shook his head. He put a hand on Steve’s shoulder and nudged the taller man into walking again to make their way back to the office.

“I don’t know, babe. I suppose she came back here convinced you would be waiting for her and when you weren’t, she got upset and thought she’d see if she could get you back. I’m just speculating because she really didn’t say.”

Steve made a disgusted sound and threw his hands in the air.

“I just, I can’t believe some of the things she was saying. Acting like you and I didn’t have any idea what we were doing, like we were horny dogs or children too stupid to know how we felt about each other.”

“I know but…”

“It’s like she never knew me at all,” Steve began gesturing wildly, “like I’m so damaged that I wouldn’t know real love if it hit me in the face,” Steve shrugged, “which I guess it did the day I met you but still…”

“I think you shouldn’t…”

Steve put his hands together palm to palm as if praying.

“Please, just listen to me ok?”

“But I…”

“Please. I’ve known this woman for over a decade. I know how she thinks and this is just very unlike her.” Steve threw his hands out to the side and gave an exaggerated shrug like a bad movie actor. “Maybe all the dust in Afghanistan clogged up her brain or something. I mean it’s crazy.”

Danny watched these antics in growing amusement.

“Well…I guess she had to make one last ditch attempt to get you back,” Danny replied, his voice strangled with his attempts to fight back laughter.

Steve jerked his hands up to his shoulders then out to the sides.

“She should know me better than that is all I’m saying. She should know that I’m not the kind of man who…”

Steve’s voice faded away and he stared at Danny who was now shaking in silent laughter, his shoulders quivering and his fist pressed to his mouth.

“What the hell, Danno? You find all of this funny?”

Danny shook his head as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

“No, I just…you were…you were ranting.”

Steve put both fists on his hips and glared over at his boyfriend.

“What?”

Danny gestured towards Steve still snickering.

“You, with the hands and the words, you were ranting. It was like looking in a mirror.”

Despite his still simmering outrage, Steve couldn’t help but give Danny a weak smile.

“I guess I’ve been hanging out with you too long.”

Danny grinned and stepped closer to Steve wrapping his arms around the taller man’s waist and pulling him against his body, oblivious to any curious stares they might be getting from passersby.

“Well you’re going to be hanging out with me for the rest of our lives so I’d better get used to this new side of you.”

Steve engulfed Danny in his arms and buried his face in his lover’s hair feeling the last of the tension drain away.

“And you’ll probably start wearing thigh holsters and wanting to blow things up.”

“Hmmm, you’d like that,” Danny replied with a laugh at Steve’s eager nod of agreement.

The two shared a quick kiss and continued their walk toward the office in companionable silence, arms brushing as they moved. As they neared the palace, Danny glanced around the parking lot at the cars.

“Steven.”

The SEAL smiled down at his boyfriend.

“Yes, Daniel?”

“How did you get to the Starbucks from the Governor’s office?”

Steve furrowed his eyebrows at the odd question.

“What do you mean? I dro—“

Steve stopped abruptly and dropped his head to his chest chuckling at his own forgetfulness. 

“I’d better um…,” he gestured in the direction they had just come from.

“Yeah.” Danny snickered as Steve jogged back towards the Starbucks, and his truck, six blocks away.

Danny watched him go, admiring the view from the rear for a moment, before turning and heading towards the palace.

 

The end.

 

 

“


End file.
